cnschultzy

14 minutes ago, chemmo said:

We loved our two Solstice cruises. She is the oldest of the S class ships but the lay out, lounges, space and general ambiance is not hampered by her age! Neither is the fantastic service or general Celebrity ambience...

 

If you board expecting Edge you may be disappointed, regardless of Revolution, it is a different class of ship with a totally different layout, main dining room set up etc.

 

The Revolution adds a few benefits for suite class and a few refits, it doesn’t transform the S class which many of us see as a fantastic design. Edge does have its critics in comparison to S class. I cannot comment about that as we have yet to cruise Edge...

 

Strongly suggest you YouTube some recent videos of Solstice and read more reviews. 

 

We did the TP on Solstice and it remains our favourite cruise ever...

 

Open your experience to S class ships, you may even prefer to Edge...

 

 

Thank you - I will continue reading reviews and looking for videos. I'm glad to hear that you had a great time on your TP! 

Perhaps it's about assessing Solstice for what she is rather than comparing her to a completely different style of ship. It's hard for me to imagine a Celebrity cruise ship being "run down" but I suppose it comes down to perspective. So many people seem to love the S Class ships and I think we'd miss out by booking the same ship over and over. I don't like to nit pick details, so as long as our stateroom is clean, comfortable and undamaged, I'm sure we'll be more than happy. I appreciate the feedback and advice.

21 minutes ago, Mike981 said:

 

Sorry I can't answer about the quality of the ship. I don't believe there is "very little revenue", there is none and most likely going backwards. I am scheduled to go on the Constellation 1/22 and they are also due for an update. I don't expect it to happen and will be more than happy to go on her without it.

 

It's Celebrity, I'm sure it will be fantastic.

I only said very little revenue instead of none because people are still paying deposits. I do agree with your point though. 

I also agree that Celebrity is fantastic. We fell in love with the service, experience and food and can't wait to sail again.  

I recently booked a 2022 Transpacific on Solstice. During my call with Celebrity, I asked about the ship's Revolution, which was set to take place late-2021. I wasn't surprised when the representative said that all scheduled refits have been postponed. I'm sure this isn't news to all of you - I understand that these are expensive updates during a time of uncertainty and very little revenue, but it also seems logical to take advantage of the downtime in order to complete the work. 

I've read quite a few recent reviews that said Solstice seems run down even though she was refurbished in 2016. I'm not a fussy traveller in general but I've only sailed on the Edge and I wonder if my husband and I have been spoiled because we thought it was an incredible ship. My booking is refundable and I have a lot of time to think on this so I'm just curious if anyone agrees with the reviewers who said Solstice was in need of work.

I agree with the other posters re: Finecut. Highly recommend making a reservation ASAP. 

I went to the Bistro for lunch on our final sea day and was shocked that it was almost empty. The food was fabulous, and I thought it was excellent value for a speciality dining experience. They even sent me away with a box of pastries for my husband, who wasn't in the mood for the Bistro that day.

My only advice is to plan for a light dinner afterward, if anything. We had reservations for Le Petit Chef that evening and I was too full to enjoy the meal! 

My husband and I sailed Aquaclass on Edge in February and would book it again. We used the Thermal Suite a few times, mainly for the heated loungers. We noticed that the Thermal Suite was busy during embarkation and the first two sea days, but the crowds dropped off later in the cruise. We also found that early morning and dinner time / evening were the best times to take advantage of the space. 

I had planned to try the 4 main dining rooms but Blu's food and service were so enjoyable that we dined there every night. There's also the added benefit of having the option to eat breakfast at Blu instead of the buffet, which is a more relaxed experience. I quickly grew accustomed to my three-course breakfasts (pastry, fruit, entree) and having my coffee topped up after a few sips - haha. I just wish they were open a little later for those of us who like to sleep in once in a while.

I also had my doubts about booking AQ but watched the prices and upgraded from a veranda to AQ when the AQ price matched the cost of my veranda. As our sail date approached, the price continued to drop and we ended up with what I feel was a very good price. I can't say whether or not you'll get that lucky, but I definitely recommend Aquaclass especially if the price is that close. 

My husband and I embarked on our first cruise the day after we got married and the staff on the Edge went out of their way to celebrate us. During our first night in Blu, our servers presented us with a beautiful (giant!) cake and sang "Happy Honeymoon to you." We also received chocolate covered strawberries in our room. 

All unexpected but very much appreciated gestures. We have so many happy memories from that cruise and can't wait to board another cruise when it's safe to do so. 

Thank you for the great advice, everyone!

This will be our first cruise and we’re obviously very excited. 

My husband and I got married in Fort Lauderdale this weekend and are boarding the Edge today. I’m too excited to sleep so I thought I’d see if you folks could help me clear up a few things that I can’t seem to find answers for: 

1. What is Celebrity’s policy on bringing fresh flowers on board? I’d love to enjoy my bridal bouquet for a few more days if possible but if it’ll be confiscated, I’ll leave it behind. 
 

2. We bought some groceries for our stay in Fort Lauderdale and have a few apples and bananas leftover. Can we bring them on board? I see the Celebrity website says we can’t bring refrigerated items but don’t see fruit listed.  
 

Thanks in advance! 

Thank you to the OP for asking the question! While I love a good steak, I get super excited about steakhouse sides and appetizers. It will be nice to try a few different options.

To those of you who have eaten at Fine Cut, what were your favorite appetizers and sides?

I will likely order a smaller steak, and my fiance was blessed with a great metabolism and a healthy appetite, so I think we can manage a reasonable variety. 

EDIT: Maybe an equally important question is... What would you skip?

So happy to see a new blog from you guys! Looking forward to your updates. 

Thank you for your review! I'm booked for the same Edge itinerary in February and cannot wait.  

13 minutes ago, bebe08 said:

Same here...I wondered if the issue was with the Canadian site, so I switched to US and same issue.  Example:

 

 

So based on this, I would expect to be able to book a veranda with 4 perks starting at $1099, however to get 4 perks it is 1239.  For those of you who successfully booked with this sale, is this consistent with your experience or were you able to get the 4 perks included for same price as advertised on first screen?

 

This is consistent with what I've seen on my sailing. With the $1239 price, you do get the additional $200 OBC that you wouldn't in the "Best Rate" offer. 

13 minutes ago, cnschultzy said:

I'm nearing an hour on hold with X right now to apply savings from this sale... If all goes well, I'll see a $675 price reduction based on today's rates. Fingers crossed. My final payment is due Monday. 

Got the price reduction that I was hoping for. Thank you to the OP @mikkelhansen for the heads up! 

3 minutes ago, LSKC said:

will they honour a screen-capture/screen shot of the price since our Travel agent can't call til tomorrow? 

and will they make us cancel and re-book to honour the better price? asking b/c i noticed select and early dining is gone and i know our travel-mates will not do late dining.

I've made multiple changes to my non-refundable reservation to match the current best available rate and haven't had to cancel or re-book. That said, I booked directly through Celebrity and they've made these changes very easy so I'm not sure what the process would be with a TA.

I'm nearing an hour on hold with X right now to apply savings from this sale... If all goes well, I'll see a $675 price reduction based on today's rates. Fingers crossed. My final payment is due Monday. 

3 hours ago, hcat said:

Probably b/c price had not changed they were willing to add more OBC  ???

I think that’s the case! 

2 minutes ago, 39august said:

Where are you all finding the specific cruises, please? I don't see anything except the OP's message. 

If I understand your question correctly... I went to the Celebrity website, searched for my sailing based on date/destination, then clicked Book Now. When I got to the "How many guests" screen, I entered the promo code "TARGETOBC" that the OP mentioned, and I followed the prompts as if I was creating a new booking identical to what I have already reserved. The final price was the same as my current reservation but included an additional $200 OBC so I called X and requested the change. 

I'm not sure if there's an easier way but it's the method I've used to monitor prices over the past few months. I hope that helps.

@hcat It seems like it would be worth looking into for your suite. I called before I saw the terms you posted (new indiv  bookings only) so I'm surprised they added the OBC to my existing booking. I suppose it depends on who is on the other line. 

I have all 4 perks and just double checked... The only thing that changed on my reservation is the OBC. I'll have no trouble spending an extra $200 🙂

Thank you for sharing @hcat - I tested the code on a mock booking for my sailing (Aquaclass - Feb 2020) and it worked. I called X and was able to add an extra $200 OBC to my reservation.

33 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

Are you booked in Concierge or Aqua Class?  Those come with a bottle of wine.

Good question. At the time I booked a regular IV so no bottle of wine would have been included when I was speaking with the agent.

Prices have some down so I recently upgraded to AQ so I suppose there will be wine in the room regardless. 🙂 

My fiance and I are getting married the day before we embark Edge in February, 2020.

I mentioned the special occasion when booking and asked if X does anything special for these types of occasions. The X agent alluded to a bottle of wine but basically told me not to expect anything. That's totally fine with me - the cruise is enough of a celebration for us and I understand that many others are marking special occasions on these trips. 

However, I did notice that my invoice has a note next to Special Services that says "HONEYMOON." Not sure if that's how celebrations are noted but it will be interesting to see if they do anything special! 

14 hours ago, creativegenius said:

Be sure to read reviews on Le Petit Chef and see if you really want to keep that reservation.  If you have kids, the place seems fine. If you're adults only, note that the menu is very limited because the food has to match the animations. Reviews have not been all that kind in regards to the food and overall meal.  Met multiple folks onboard the Equinox a few weeks ago who said either it was a waste of money or 'one and done' after experiencing it.  LPC is something we did not book nor would ever book simply because the menu is so limiting.  

Thank you for your input! I understand where you are coming from. I have read reviews on this board and on blogs, and I feel prepared for some of the downsides (e.g. waiting for others to finish each course). While the menu is simple, each course will suit us just fine as long as the food is well prepared. 

I've also looked up photos and videos - it looks unique and entertaining! Yes, it's very likely "one and done" for us but unlike anything I'll find near home so it's worth the risk in my opinion.

2 hours ago, Mauidiver said:

I see what you’re talking about.  There’s nothing like that on our Edge cruise, but I’m going to keep looking just in case.  😉. Thank you!

Nothing like that for us, either but I think I saw discounts months ago when I first booked. Maybe they'll reappear 🙂

1 hour ago, stevenmary said:

We were on Edge early September. We had OBC to use up so tried for a specialty restaurant booking on the last night but most were already booked up. We noticed waiters hovering at the exit of Oceanview at breakfast time, they were trying to sell off any remaining open slots at a discount and we got LPC for $40pp for a late sitting. We had finished packing by 7pm so this was a great way to finish the cruise. Amusing and very good food only spoiled for me and a few others by a sudden onset of bad weather causing a very rough ride - rather unfortunate, but that's the med in September for you!

Oh dear! At least it was memorable! 

4 hours ago, UFMOM said:

If you like seafood, Raw on 5 has good views on Edge. Also the MC is is parked there at certain times. If you want a lighter meal you may be able to dine reasonably without a dining credit. Or go at sailaway/sunset for an appetizer and a drink and eat later in the mdr. 

 

Mary Ann

Sunset snacks before heading to the MDR... I love this idea! I'm spoiled with great sushi in the PNW and I had initially given Raw on 5 a pass. I didn't realize it had such nice views - and the food does look delicious! 

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

The first night @ a discount is often offered in the Cruise Planner so you can book ahead and select your time.  

Great - I'll keep checking. Right now there is plenty of availability for Finecut on the first night (other nights are very limited) so we'll should be in luck if that discount is offered soon.

1 hour ago, kearney said:

there is nothing like sailing out of Ft Lauderdale and along the coast with the sun setting behind you sitting in a quiet restaurant sitting by the large windows looking back at the city...   

Sounds magical!

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

If doing prepaid gratuities but are concerned about extra tips for your regular wait staff if you feel they are deserving then just give it to them the night prior and explain you are doing dinner elsewhere on the final night.  

I have prepaid gratuities but plan to tip anyone who goes above and beyond... Fantastic idea to do so on the second-to-last night. We plan to try all four dining room so we may even tip throughout the trip. We'll see what works best for us when we get there. 

Thank you for the feedback, everyone. You all raise very valid points. I will keep my Day 7 reservation but might consider a later reservation so we're packed before dinner with nothing to worry about except for the lovely meal. 

@jelayne I will have to keep an eye out for discounts on the first night! In that case, Day 1 might be a good night for Finecut. That would free us up for Evening Chic in the MDR. Everything is currently full price online within the cruise planner but I'll try to remember to check on this when we board. 

(Mary Ann - I was thinking the same thing about booking the restaurants with more indulgent menus earlier in the cruise!)

My first-ever cruise is approaching (February 9, 2020 on Edge) and I have been following this board for months to glean as much info as possible before we sail. Thank you to everyone who posts reviews, photos, answers to questions, etc... Your insight has been invaluable - I feel more excited and less apprehensive about what's to come. 🙂

Last night I made the following specialty dining reservations:

1. Finecut Steakhouse (Day 2, at sea). I thought dining at Finecut early in our cruise would be a nice treat to start the trip and, if it's as fabulous as everyone says, we might try to get reservations for another night. 

2. Le Petit Chef (Day 7, at sea, final night of the cruise)... I initially thought I would reserve something for Day 6 (our second at-sea day), but I believe that will be the coveted lobster night. Don't want to miss out on that. I also avoided making reservations for any of our port days (days 3-5) because I thought it might be nice to have some flexibility in case we're tired or we've already eaten off the ship. That leaves Day 1 or Day 7 for LPC. 

I'm wondering... Are there any drawbacks to specialty dining on the final night? Would I miss out on anything special in the MDR?

Thoughts, suggestions and recommendations are very much appreciated. Thank you in advance.